Rhenus signs long-term military logistics agreement with Dutch Defence Ministry
Rhenus has entered into a ten-year partnership with the Dutch Ministry of Defence to support logistics operations at the Soesterberg Logistics Centre (LCS), strengthening cooperation between the private logistics sector and the Netherlands’ armed forces.
The agreement establishes a long-term framework for warehouse operations, supply chain management and logistics optimisation at the military facility. Through the partnership, Rhenus will contribute its international logistics expertise alongside the Ministry of Defence’s operational knowledge to support the availability and management of equipment used by military personnel.
The Soesterberg Logistics Centre forms part of the Materieellogistiek Commando, the military organisation responsible for supporting the armed forces with materials and equipment. The centre is also part of the new Soesterberg Army Base, where four separate barracks are being consolidated into a single military installation through refurbishment and new construction.
Supporting military supply chain operations
Under the agreement, Rhenus will support warehouse activities at the Soesterberg Logistics Centre and contribute expertise in supply chain management and operational improvement. The collaboration is intended to strengthen the logistics processes that support military training, exercises and operational deployments.
The partnership follows a relational contracting approach, which places emphasis on shared responsibility, transparency, cooperation and continuous improvement. Rather than relying exclusively on a conventional customer-supplier relationship, the two organisations will work towards common operational objectives while exchanging knowledge and identifying opportunities for innovation.
“The armed forces can only operate effectively if the logistics behind the scenes function excellently,” said Markus Simons, Managing Director of Rhenus Warehousing Solutions Netherlands.
Simons said the partnership combines the Ministry of Defence’s operational experience with Rhenus’s logistics capabilities to support the readiness of the armed forces.
The agreement also reflects the Ministry of Defence’s decision to establish a long-term relationship with a private-sector logistics provider for activities at the Soesterberg facility.
Mark Bours, Commander of Materieellogistiek Commando at the Royal Netherlands Army’s Land Command, emphasised the importance of reliable logistics support for military personnel.
“Our military personnel must be able to rely on a logistics organisation that delivers when it matters most,” Bours said.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the partnership is intended to improve flexibility, reliability and continuous development within the logistics organisation supporting the armed forces.
The companies have not disclosed the financial value of the ten-year agreement or specific operational targets. The announced cooperation concerns logistics activities at the Soesterberg Logistics Centre rather than the management of the Netherlands’ entire military supply chain.
